The report, commissioned by the Evelina London Charity on behalf of the Tony Hudgell Foundation, outlines the findings from the first phase of a four-year research programme focused on children's community therapy services, gathering perspectives from children and young people, parents and carers, service providers and commissioners.
The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected access to community health services for children and young people. Data from 2024 NHS England statistics shows that over 272,625 children and young people in England are currently waiting for community services. The largest proportion are waiting for community paediatric services, followed by speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
Not only does this have a profoundly negative impact on a child’s developmental outcomes, including educational skills, social development and mental health and wellbeing, but delays to accessing treatment also add pressure to other parts of the system
The report brings together the views from 109 key stakeholders, including children and young people, parents and carers, service providers and commissioners, drawing on surveys, in-depth interviews and focus groups. The researchers also used a range of publicly available population-based data, to better understand what services are available at a regional and local level. They focused on two of the most deprived boroughs within the South Thames region, to gain in-depth information about the community therapy service provision.
The report’s key findings show that statutory provision for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) is straining the system and demand for therapy is outstripping available capacity. Recruitment and retention of staff remain challenging nationwide, and some areas are relying on independent providers to manage unmet needs. Certain groups, such as children under the age of 5, those without a diagnosis and those living in deprivation, are also more likely to have unmet needs.
The report identifies seven priorities for change according to children and young people, their parents and carers, service providers and commissioners, including increasing time for direct patient care, delivering well-coordinated early interventions, achieving equitable access to assessment and treatment, and closer working between health, education and social care.
These findings are relevant to local, network and national teams and for the planning and delivery of service provision.
The report’s recommendations for improving care at all levels of the system include:
We would like to thank the many parents and carers, young people, professionals and commissioners who provided valuable insights included in this report. We look forward to supporting the second phase of the programme and are grateful to the Charity, Tony and his family for trusting us with this work, which would not have been possible without their fundraising
This project is funded by the Evelina London Charity and the Tony Hudgell Foundation. Tony Hudgell is a 9 year-old boy and an award-winning fundraiser, who endured life-changing injuries at six weeks old. His lived experience and the breadth of healthcare needs he has, is an illustration of the importance of timely access to rehabilitation and habilitation, to help children and young people live the best life possible.
Read more about Tony Hudgell’s mission and fundraising activities.